Credit card holder and wallet

ABSTRACT

A credit card holder having at least one internal slot for holding a credit card, the internal slot having opposed front and rear plates set at a distance approximately the thickness of a credit card, and also having fixed opposed side guides having credit card side guide surfaces set at a distance from each other of approximately the width of a credit card. A credit card push slide is positioned along an internal width of the slot for engaging the top of a credit card, the slide having opposed credit card slide guide surfaces in alignment with the guide surfaces of the fixed side guides. The slot and the push slide have stop surfaces which cooperate to prevent the slide from completely pushing the card out of the slot.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a credit and/or debit card holder forsecuring one or more credit and/or debit cards (hereinafter the term“credit card” is used to encompass not only credit cards but also debitcards and various other cards such as a drivers license, ofapproximately the same size and approximately of the same thickness as aplastic credit card) with the ability to partially eject a single one ofthe credit cards for use while retaining the remainder of the cardwithin the holder. In this manner, the magnetic stripe of the creditcard can be swiped without the card leaving the holder and then thecomplete card can be pushed back into the holder. Paper money, othertypes of cards, etc, are either attached to the exterior of the holderby means of an elastic band or a clip carried by the holder or are heldwithin a holding slot and extracted by a pull or push tab.

The prior art relevant to credit card holders, including wallets whichcan hold one or more credit cards, describes various devices forsecurely holding and then ejecting, wholly or partially, one or morecredit cards. These prior art devices possess various deficiencies whichhave precluded their wide-spread acceptance. For example, certain of theprior art devices employ cumbersome trays, with multiple trays used formultiple cards. Other devices employ biasing elements for holding thecredit cards within slots, which can cause deterioration of the magneticstripe due to applied friction. The non-metallic credit card holders aresubject to RFID reading whereby a third party can access the informationfound on the magnetic stripe of a credit or debit card. The presentinvention provides a credit card holder overcoming these deficiencies ofthe prior art.

Certain of the prior art is discussed below.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,581,762 describes a credit card holding device in whicheach card can be pushed partially out of a slot or chamber by pushplates connected to push rods. Each chamber is approximately the widthof a credit card, but biasing members or springs are used to urge thecard against an opposite wall so that the card is held firmly within theslot or chamber.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,089,289 describes a credit card holder for two creditcards in which a rib separates the two cards. Cut-outs in a wall of theholder allow the cards to be pushed out of the holder. Inside the holderare protrusions which slightly bend each credit card for preventing thecard from falling out of the holder.

EP 0287532 describes a credit card holder for holding and partiallyejecting a plurality of cards. The cards are stacked within thecontainer and pushed out in a tiered fashion by a hinged lever. The cardholder does not contain individual card chambers nor opposed walls setat a transverse tolerance to prevent cards from falling out. A lidprevents cards from prematurely leaving the holder. Bulges can bepositioned along the inner walls of the device for assisting with theprevention of cards falling out even with an open lid.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,050,449, directed to a business card holder anddispenser, states that prior art business card dispensers using springswere too complicated, requiring separate fastening devices, or too hardto assemble into the case, or made the case too large because of thespace needed to accommodate the springs.

U.S. Pat. No. 3,648,832 describes a credit card holder for multiplecards in which the holder remains open and cannot close if a card hasbeen removed and not replaced. A billfold or money clip can be securedto an outer surface of the card holder.

U.S. Pat. No. 8,567,641, directed to a business card holder anddispenser, describes different types of springs for providing automaticreturn of a discharge button.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,412,627 describes a credit card holder in which thecards are prevented from falling out by frictional engagement with aresilient material which may be the case itself, although inclusion ofresilient pads parallel to side walls is preferred.

U.S. 2013/0276943 describes a wallet formed of metal or carbon fiberplates with a surrounding elastic strap. Personal items such as papermoney, credit cards, etc, can be held by the strap against the outsideof one of the exterior plates.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,852,727 describes a multi-credit card holder in whichindividual trays are spring-loaded and released when a detent isactivated for pushing the tray out part way. The spring is behind thetray and pushes it part way out of the device.

ThinkGeek.com advertised an aluminum card protector (Secrid AluminumCardprotector) holding up to 6 credit cards which slide out part of theway upon clicking a triggering device so the desired card can beselected. A special coating inside the device prevents the cards fromslipping out all of the way. The internal mechanism of the device is notdisclosed.

Fractalspin.com advertised a credit card organizer which is an aluminumwallet holding up to six credit cards in individual slots. Switchesslide forward and nudge out individual cards which then can be grabbedby the card edge. Precision card spacing prevents scratching. A moneyclip is provided on the reverse side. The internal mechanism of thedevice is not disclosed.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An object of the present invention is to provide a credit card holdercapable of automatically and partially ejecting a part of a singlecredit card and then retracting the ejected card part.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a credit cardholder for holding one or more credit cards and capable of automaticallyand partially ejecting one card at a time for exposing the magneticstripe of the partially ejected card.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a credit cardholder for holding a credit card in a position so that the magneticstripe of the card is exposed when the card is partially ejected fromthe holder.

Still a further object of the present invention is to provide amechanical system for inclusion within a credit card holder whereby acredit card is automatically and partially ejected and then completelypushed back into the holder without damage to the magnetic stripe of thecard.

Other objects of the invention will be apparent to the skilled artisanfrom the detailed description of the invention hereinafter.

In accordance with the present invention, there is provided a creditcard holder comprising an internal slot capable of holding a credit cardwithin its opposed side edges; a releasable slide which upon releasethereof urges the card out of the slot; a slide stop for preventing theslide from urging the card completely out of the slot and a triggeroperatively connected to the slide which when activated releases theslide.

In an embodiment of the invention, there is provided a credit cardholder comprising an internal slot formed of opposed front and rearwalls for holding the front and rear sides of the card; and opposedfixed side guide surfaces for seating and holding opposed side edges ofa credit card therebetween.

In one preferred embodiment of the invention, each of the two fixedopposed side guides, having a side guide surface, is integral with astop for the releasable card slide, the stop preferably being orthogonalto its integral side guide surface.

In still another embodiment of the invention, the card slide comprises atop card pushing member and side card guides comprising card guidesurfaces and stop surfaces, the side card guide stop surfaces being inalignment with the stops orthogonal to the fixed opposed side guidesurfaces.

Preferably, the card slide is spring loaded, preferably with theemployment of two springs, each connected at one end thereof to a sideof the top card pushing member and with the other end of each springbeing connected under tension to one of the fixed side guides.

In yet another preferred embodiment of the invention, the trigger isspring loaded, using a compression spring. In this embodiment, theframing member contains a recess into which a slide protrusion fits andis held in place therein by the tensioned or non-tensioned trigger. Whenthe trigger is released, the protrusion exits the recess and the slideis pulled toward the slot entrance by its tensioned side springs. Instill another preferred embodiment of the invention, the framing memberalso contains at least one stop for stopping the slide at apredetermined distance within the slot, thereby preventing the card fromcompletely exiting the slot. This predetermined distance is calculatedso as to allow the availability of the magnetic card stripe for swipingwithin standard credit card swiping devices.

In a further embodiment of the invention, the slide protrusion containsa nose which mates with a finger extension of the trigger, the fingerextension holding the slide protrusion in its corresponding slide recessuntil the trigger is released. Upon release of the trigger releasingmechanism, the trigger is pulled into its tensioned position, and theslide is released to travel as far as engagement of the framing memberstop. The nose of the slide protrusion overrides the trigger fingerextension when the credit card pushes the slide back into its originalposition, at which time the trigger extension finger again holds theslide in its locked position. A frame stop prevents the trigger fromsliding inwardly beyond the position at which it mates with the slidenose. The trigger can be activated by various means, including a smallslidable knob attached to an edge of the slide or integral therewith andextending beyond the body of the device, the knob sliding the trigger toa position in which the lip of the slide is released. Release of theknob allows the spring tensioned trigger to return to its originalposition for engaging the slide protrusion nose when the card is pushedback into the slot, thereby pushing the card slide into its lockedposition.

In other preferred embodiments, the holder except for the trigger andcard slide is made by 3D plastic printing. In that embodiment, thetrigger remains spring loaded and slides laterally a distance asdetermined by one or more internal slots with fixed projections or poststherein.

In preferred embodiments of the invention, the inventive credit cardholder contains a plurality of auto-eject slots for holding a pluralityof credit cards, say 2 to 4 credit cards, each within its own slot. Inthat case, each slot comprises the various elements discussed above,that is, the slide mechanism, the trigger mechanism and the varioussprings and stops in preferred embodiments. Other embodiments of theinvention will be apparent from the Drawing and Detailed Description ofthe Invention herein.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

The Drawing illustrates embodiments of the invention.

FIGS. 1-3 of the Drawing depict in plan views the various elements thatin combination form the internal mechanism of one embodiment of theinventive card holder. In FIGS. 1-3 of the Drawing, an internalmechanism for one auto-eject slot is illustrated, it being understoodthat two or more separated internal mechanisms, for holding acorresponding number of credit cards, and within corresponding slots,can be within the inventive device, as is generally illustrated in FIG.5 of the Drawing.

FIG. 4 is a top view of the credit card holder of FIGS. 1-3.

FIG. 5 is a top view of a credit card holder of the invention forholding two credit cards.

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of a slot for holding additional cardsand/or paper money, extractable by a pull tab arrangement.

FIGS. 7 and 8 depict attachment means for a color design plate to beattached to a standard end or base plate, including a slot for holdingan encircling elastic band.

FIG. 9 depicts one half of the inventive wallet as manufactured by 3Dplastic printing with the trigger and card push slide made of metal. Inthis embodiment, the trigger is spring loaded, and slides within a slotwith length of movement within the slot limited by a projection or postwithin the slot.

FIGS. 10-13 depict other embodiments for extracting additional, non-autoejecting, cards from the wallet, involving a slide tab attached to aslidable stepped tray.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

In FIGS. 1-3, element 1 is a front or rear plate of a credit cardholding slot. These plates are positioned apart from each other so thata credit card fits snugly therebetween. Framing members 2 and 3 form,respectively, the top and a first side, and the opposed side of a creditcard framing member. As depicted, the framing member is in two parts,providing a horizontal gap 4 therebetween. As shown and described below,this gap provides operating room for a trigger, which when engaged,allows a slide to partially push a credit card out of the holder.

The framing member contains credit card guide surfaces 5 at its lowerportions. The distances between opposed guide surfaces 5 and betweensimilar opposed guide surfaces 7 on the credit card slide member 9 areset for securely holding a credit card without the need for additionalbiasing elements. The framing member includes stop surfaces 15 ofupwardly extending stops 11. These stop surfaces cooperate,respectively, with protrusions 17 and 19 of the slide member 9 forpreventing the slide member from extending beyond the framing memberstop surfaces. In this manner, and with the guide surfaces securelyholding the credit card, only a portion of the credit card is allowed toextend out of the framing member. The framing member also denotes theoverall internal size of the inventive credit card holder. The slidemember 9 comprises card pushing surface 6 in addition to its side guidesurfaces and associated stop protuberances, shown in the Drawing asorthogonal to the side guide surfaces.

The upper section of the framing member contains an internal centrallylocated recess 21 having a configuration for accepting and mating withprotuberance 23 of the slide member 9. This protuberance has a nose 25forming recess 31. Nose 25 cooperates with finger extension 27 oftrigger 29, which extension fits into the recess 31 formed by the nosefor locking the credit card slide member 9 in the recess 21 until thetrigger is released.

The framing element comprises a stop 51 which cooperates with surface 53of the trigger mechanism for preventing the trigger finger extension 27from exerting undue pressure to the top of the slide member 9.

In the embodiment depicted in FIGS. 1-3, the credit card slide member 9is under tension when locked in place by the trigger. Tensioning isaccomplished by two small springs (not shown) which are attached attheir opposite ends to holes 33 in the slide member and holes 35 in theframing member. Of course, the above-described slide stop surfacesprevent the slide member from being pulled by the springs upon releaseof the trigger beyond the stop surfaces 15 of the framing member.

Trigger 29 also contains knob 37 extending beyond the top surface 39 ofthe holder and for sliding within a slot 41 formed between base plates43 and 45 as shown in FIG. 4, which is a top view of the credit cardholder and wallet. The trigger is also under tension provided by acompression spring as best seen in FIG. 9 as spring 69. In this manner,when the trigger slides away from the recess 31 and beyond nose 25, theslide member tensioning springs pull the slide member as far as theaforementioned stop surfaces.

When more than one auto-ejectable credit card is to be held within theholder, a divider plate 47 as depicted in FIG. 5 is set between adjacentframing members with associated card slides and triggers for eachframing member. For illustrative purposes FIG. 5 is a top view of acredit card holder of the invention for releasably holding two creditcards as seen by the presence of two trigger knobs 37, each within aseparate slot formed between a divider plate 47 and an end plate. It isimportant to note the divider plate is configured so it does not overlapwith the magnetic stripe of the inserted credit card. This arrangementhelps prevent scratching of the magnetic stripe which might otherwiseoccur by the stripe rubbing across a larger divider plate when beingreleased from the holder for swiping. With two or more auto-eject cardholding slots, divider plate(s) take the place of a front or rear baseplate.

Top cover or base plate 43 and bottom base plate 45, which are identicalto base plate 1, complete a typical assembly, all of which is held inplace by rivets or other connectors extending through the cover plate,framing member, divider plate(s) if present, additional framing membersif present and the bottom base plate.

In one embodiment of the invention, additional cards and/or paper moneyis secured to the holder/wallet by an elastic band 52 extending aroundthe longitudinal surface of the wallet as depicted in FIG. 1. The bandfits into slots 54 and is of a length and elasticity for securelyholding additional cards and/or paper money against the top and/orbottom outer plate of the holder/wallet.

In another embodiment of the invention, additional credit cards and/orpaper money are held within the wallet in a space formed between a baseplate and a divider plate. In this embodiment, a pull tab extension sitsalong the bottom of the space so that when the pull tab is pulledupwardly, the pull tab extension pushes the additional credit cardsand/or paper money out of the wallet. In this embodiment, as depicted incross-section in FIG. 6, the bottom base plate of the wallet is designedto include a tab shaped recess 65 for attaching pull tab 67, which tabdoes not fit through the recess. An extension of the tab then extendsthrough the base plate, along the bottom of the formed slot space 69,along the opposite side of the space to terminate in the external pulltab section 71. Pulling upwardly on tab 71 raises out of the slot anycredit cards or paper money resting on the bottom section 73 of the tab.

In another embodiment of the invention, different colored face plates55, as depicted in FIG. 7, can be attached to the top plate of thewallet by the use of two strap clips 57, as depicted in FIG. 8. The faceplate and the top plate each contain two sets of aligned holes 59,depicted as rectangular in the Drawing. Legs 61 of the strap clips areof a length and overall dimensions to fit securely into the alignedholes 59, thereby fastening the color face plate to the top plate (whichthen becomes an inner plate of the wallet). An elastic band, when used,then slides through slot 63 of each strap clip for holding the bandagainst the outer plates of the holder/wallet.

The credit card holder/wallet of the present invention can be made ofvarious materials, many of which will provide RFID protection. Forexample, all of the parts of the holder/wallet can be made of a metalsuch as stainless steel or aluminum. When fabricated in this manner,each part is generally separately machined. The wallet also lends itselfto 3D plastic printing, during which only the trigger and slide would beseparately formed out of plastic or preferably metal. In that case, anadditive is added to the outer plastic base plates or provided in anexterior coating for providing RFID protection. The additive might be achemical compound or metal particles. One advantage of 3D plasticprinting is that the wallet/holder can be made in various colors or canbe transparent for allowing the holder to view the internal mechanismand its movements. Another advantage is that the plastic interior avoidspossible scratching of the magnetic stripe of a credit card, which couldhappen when rubbing against a metal surface.

FIG. 9 illustrates the internal mechanism of the wallet as made by 3Dplastic printing, with the trigger and card push slide being separatelymanufactured out of metal. Framing elements 2 and 3 are formed by the 3Dprinting and become integral with the top plate 60 of the holder. Slidemember 9 and trigger 29 have been separately fabricated, preferably outof metal, and are inserted into the holder prior to adding a dividerplate or bottom plate, not shown. In the embodiment of FIG. 9, triggerslots 65 and 67 determine the distance of lateral movement of thetrigger for releasing the card slide member. Since slot 65 in the shownembodiment is the shorter of the two slots, it determines the maximumtrigger movement in this instance. Projections or posts 61 and 63, whichfit within the slots, lock the trigger in place while allowingsufficient lateral movement for release of the card slide and thenseating of the card slide in its recess within the framing element 2.The slide and trigger remain spring loaded in this embodiment.

FIGS. 10 and 11 illustrate a second embodiment comprising a tray withsteps for storing and retrieving a series of non-auto ejectable cards,in this instance five additional cards, although the number could bevaried from one to five additional cards depending upon the number ofcard holding steps. In FIG. 10, slidable tray 71 comprises five steps73, each step capable of holding an individual card such as anadditional credit card, an awards card, a driver's license, an insurancecard and so on. Tab 75 is attached to the slidable tray by attachment77. As shown in FIG. 11, the tab extends through the bottom plate of theholder and can be reciprocated within slot 79 for pulling one or morecards to an accessible position out of the top of the holder and toreturning the slidable tray to its fully retracted position in which nocards are accessible.

FIGS. 12-13 show a preferred embodiment of the embodiment of FIGS.10-11. At times with the use of the tray embodiment of FIGS. 10-11, acard could become positioned between the sliding tray and the back orbottom plate of the wallet. To overcome this issue, in FIGS. 12-13,rectangular finger guides 101 are provided beneath the sliding tray.These guide fingers extend into recesses within the bottom most step ofthe tray and then extend beneath the remainder of the tray, as shown bycut-away FIG. 13. The second step up 103 slides along the top of theguide fingers when the tab is pulled and the guide fingers prevent anycards from becoming lodged beneath the tray. Of course in thisembodiment, a card cannot be positioned within the bottom most stephaving recesses 105 therein.

Credit cards are generally about 8.5 cm by 5.4 cm and approximately 0.91mm thick. The internal auto-eject slots of the holder are formed of themachined or plastic printed parts for providing these dimensions withinvery small tolerances, so that a credit card does not inadvertently fallout of its assigned slot. In FIG. 10, there are shown plastic pivots 81which can pivot in and out of recesses 83. These pivots push against thesides of cards positioned within the slidable tray for preventing themfrom falling out of the holder due to a slick plastic surface rubbingagainst a plastic card edge. Similar smaller pivots can be present inthe auto-eject slots if desired.

The credit card holder is held together by corner rivets when producedentirely of metal. With plastic 3D printing, the holder includes posts91 as depicted in FIGS. 9-13. After assembly, the tips of posts 91 aremelted to fuse with the bottom or most outer plastic plate of the holderas shown in FIG. 11 by fused areas 93.

Variations of the invention will be apparent to the skilled artisan.

The invention claimed is:
 1. A credit card holder comprising at leastone internal slot for holding a credit card, the internal slot havingopposed front and rear plates set at a distance approximately thethickness of a credit card, the slot having fixed opposed side guideshaving credit card side guide surfaces set at a distance from each otherof approximately the width of a credit card; a credit card push slidepositioned along an internal width of the slot for engaging the top of acredit card, the slide having opposed credit card slide guide surfacesin alignment with the guide surfaces of the fixed side guides; the slotand the push slide having stop surfaces which cooperate to prevent theslide from completely pushing the card out of the slot; and wherein thepush slide is held in place by a releasable trigger, the trigger havinga finger extension which fits into a recess formed by a projection abovea card pushing surface of the push slide, whereby the slide is releasedwhen the trigger slides out of the recess.
 2. The credit card holder ofclaim 1 wherein the push slide is held under tension in the slot.
 3. Thecredit card holder of claim 2 wherein the push slide is held in the slotby tensioned springs.
 4. The credit card holder of claim 1 wherein thecooperating stop surfaces are orthogonal to the fixed opposed side guidesurfaces and orthogonal to the card guide surfaces of the push slide. 5.The credit card holder of claim 4 wherein the cooperating stop surfacesare, respectively, integral with the fixed opposed side guides andintegral with the push slide.
 6. The credit card holder of claim 1wherein the trigger is held in place under tension.
 7. The credit cardholder of claim 6 wherein the trigger is held in place by a tensionedspring.
 8. The credit card holder of claim 1 containing at least 2 ofthe credit card holding slots of claim
 1. 9. The credit card holder ofclaim 1 being RFID protected.
 10. The credit card holder of claim 1being formed of metal components.
 11. The credit card holder of claim 10being made of stainless steel and/or aluminum components.
 12. The creditcard holder of claim 1 being formed of plastic.
 13. The credit cardholder of claim 12 having been formed by a 3D printing process.
 14. Thecredit card holder of claim 12 being made of transparent plastic. 15.The credit card holder of claim 12 being made of colored plastic. 16.The credit card holder of claim 1 comprising an elastic band surroundingat least a portion of the exterior of the holder for securing additionalcredit card(s) and/or paper money.
 17. The credit card holder of claim 1comprising an additional slot for holding additional non-auto-ejectcredit card(s) and/or paper money, the additional cards and/or papermoney being pushed out of the slot by an extension of a pull tab. 18.The credit card holder of claim 1 including a framing member containingthe opposed fixed side guides, and having a recess into which theprojection fits.
 19. The credit card holder of claim 18 in which theframing member contains a gap in which the trigger fits.
 20. The creditcard holder of claim 18 in which the framing member is made of twoseparate elements with the gap for the trigger therebetween.
 21. Thecredit card holder of claim 1 wherein the trigger is held in place in anon-tensioned state.
 22. The credit card holder of claim 1 wherein thereleased trigger is under tension provided by a compression spring. 23.The credit card holder of claim 1 wherein the credit card holder hasopposed inside side walls and the at least one internal slot is narrowerthan a width between the opposed inside side walls of the credit cardholder.